Designer Christie Datt Veres helped her parents discover and decorate their idyllic retirement home in Lewes
Story by Alison Pappas | Photography by Keyanna Bowen
It only took a few visits to Lewes for Mr. and Mrs. Datt to fall in love with the seaside city’s quaintness and welcoming spirit. They determined that Lewes was the ideal place for them to enjoy their retirement while remaining within driving distance of their family in Wilmington. Although they were certain about the area, they still needed to pinpoint the right home to make their dream a reality.
As fate would have it, the Datts knew the perfect person to assist them with this exploration. Their daughter, Christie Datt Veres, is the founder and principal designer of CDV Interiors in Wilmington. After enlisting Christie’s help, the Datts decided to pursue new construction and soon purchased a plot of land in the Coastal Club neighborhood. NV Homes was their selected builder.
They quickly sold their previous home and temporarily moved in with Christie and her family in Wilmington. This close living situation presented a unique opportunity for collaboration, especially when COVID-19 quarantine restrictions allowed them to use downtime to make selections.
Just as she does with all her clients, Christie went about this project with a full-service approach that consists of her creating comprehensive drawings and ensuring every detail really embodies her clients’ visions. She collaboratively guides her clients through every selection, from flooring and countertops to lighting and hardware. Christie’s signature approach is to produce interiors that layer color, pattern and texture to create fresh, modern takes on classic designs.
“My parents’ typical aesthetic is more on the traditional side, so I wanted to adhere to their taste preferences but simultaneously push them to be open to a few more modern and fresh elements, as well,” shared Christie.
With Christie’s support, the Datts selected a sky-coastal-blue design to match their surrounding beach setting. Elements such as a seagrass rug and wicker lamp in their breakfast room added a natural touch to the design. To ensure the ambience was warm and inviting for both the Datts and their future guests, ample lighting was a priority.
“The light-blue pendants above the kitchen island are a special feature that elevates a classic white kitchen and ties into the blues in the adjacent living room,” said Christie.
The bright kitchen segues into a breakfast space with relaxing seating, where the Datts can enjoy conversations over their morning cups of coffee.
For comfort and easy living, they incorporated open sightlines and opted for a first-floor living layout, with the master bedroom on the first floor. Because the Datts have a 2-year-old grandson and grand-dog, one of the most important requirements was that the home needed to be family-friendly. To ensure this was achieved, Christie helped them pick out performance fabric for both the white sofas and sky-blue chairs.
Christie also sourced some of the home’s memorable elements from local vendors. Blue-and-white bedroom lamps from Creative Concepts and antique decor from Heritage Antiques were incorporated in the final design.
Ultimately, Christie’s collaborative approach fully brought the Datts’ dreams for their retirement home to life. Their home now serves as their sanctuary, and it will certainly host many gatherings in the future.